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2016 World Indoors Bid Only the Beginning

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Nov 5th 2013, 7:55pm
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Dreaming Big for 2016 World Indoors

Published by TrackTown USA on November 4, 2013

More than a half-century ago, a group of University of Oregon alumni raised $21,000 to stage the first indoor track and field meet in Portland’s brand new Memorial Coliseum.

They were dubbed the “Nervous Nine,” according to an article in Sports Illustrated, because only $8,000 in advance ticket sales were generated for the meet, which was held in January of 1961.

Not to worry.

With UO track and field coach Bill Bowerman on board as meet director, the event turned out to be both a financial and artistic success.

More than 7,000 fans filled the theatre-style cushioned seats, and they were treated to several outstanding events. The highlight came when New Zealand’s Murray Halberg, the reigning Olympic 5,000-meter champion, crushed the world indoor two-mile record by nearly 12 seconds.

The Portland indoor meet continued to be held on a regular basis for nearly four decades. On Monday, USA Track & Field, the national governing body for the sport, reached back to those roots with the official announcement that it would put forth a bid to host the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.

The bid will be made in conjunction with TrackTown USA, the local organizing committee, which is looking to expand its reach to a state, national and global audience in an ongoing effort to inspire a new generation of track and field athletes and fans.

“I think this bid demonstrates that the United States is serious about track and field in this country,” said TrackTown USA president Vin Lananna. “We want to be a player in the sport. Our athletes do it every year, at every Olympics, and every World Championships.

“Our organization wants to be a facilitator for Team USA, the No. 1 team in the world, to show their stuff at home. At the same time, we want to show the rest of the world that we care about track and field.”

Strong support for bid

The formal bid for the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships will be presented to the 27-member IAAF Council on Friday, Nov. 15 in Monaco.

The U.S. has never hosted an outdoor World Championships, and it has staged the World Indoors only once – at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Ind., in 1987.



Read the full article at: www.gotracktownusa.com

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